228 



l440froin 3102, the difference, 2662, is the epoch of the 

 deluge, and this epoch, although not differing from both the 

 Septuagint and the Hebrew, is only 6 years above his own 

 computation, (1. Ant. C. 4.) 2656. The mo»th Jar is not 

 agreeable to the Hebrew, the Septuagint, or any of the ver- 

 sions, which read Zif.* 



It appears therefore from the consideration of this passage 

 alone, that Josephus is consistent neither with himself, nor 

 with Scripture, and that where only he is consistent with 

 liimself, (in reading 592 years) he supports the principles of 

 our interpretation, and the fidelitj' of the text, since it only, 

 exceeds the assigned number 480, by the years of the Ser- 

 vitudes, which he has reckoned exclusively; and that the dif- 

 ferent suppositions of the learned to correct his chronology, do 

 more violence to the fidelity of his versions, than those of any 

 other author ever suffered, since the}' are compelled to ex- 

 punge several whole passages, periods, and epochs, scattered 

 through his works, and the more they make him deviate 

 from Scripture, the less they make him consistent Avith rea- 

 son, or with himself: that their systems are at best, but ap- 

 proximations, and so unsupported by the readings of the 

 MS. that they ought never to be proposed as authorities for 

 correcting the sacred writings. This is particularly appli- 

 cable 



* This objection, I admit, is merely verbal, as it is the same month as Zif. Vide 

 auctores citatos in SynopsiCriticorum. 



